Mold for making concrete blocks



r 1,584,595 May 11 1926. K. BADER A v l P'OLD FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Nov. 18, 1925 '2 sheets-sheet 1 5 4- fr. l

c.. Q. Mu ATT0RNEY- May M E926. l 3,584,595

. K. BADER MOLD FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Nov. 18, 1925 2 sheets-sheets INVENTOR. uzadef) ATTORNEY,

Patented May 11, 1926.

UNITED vvSTATES KURT BADER, OF BROOKLYN, NEWAYORK.

MOLD FOB MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS.

Application led November This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mold for use in making blocks or other building elements of concrete or other plastic materials.

One object of the invention is to provide a knock-down mold for the production of a plurality of blocks or other building units at each operation, which mold may be readily and conveniently set up for use and as readily and conveniently taken down or disassembled for the removal of the formed units, for cleaning and repairs, for Storage or shipment or for other purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a type of mold having cells or chambers and formed of aframing of rigid material, together with a former or liner of rubber in each cell or chamber and backed by the walls thereof, such rubber former or liner being readily insertable and removable and operating to give a fine finish to the surface of the formed article.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a rubber former or liner which, by reason of the nature of the material of which it is composed, will not stick to the plastic element formed thereby and which may be stripped from the formed article in a ready and convenient manner and without marring the finish thereof.

Stillano-ther object of the invention is to provide a. mold having transverse openings in the walls of its cells or chambers and rubber cores adapted to be extended through said openings for thel production of openings in the formed building unit, whereby a Ibuilding unit Inay be produced having vertical openings for bonding connectionv with other openings in a. wall or other structure produced by an assemblage of such units together. y

ztill another object of the Ainvention is to provide a mold which is simple of construction, inexpensive of production, efficient in operation, and adapted to be readily and conveniently handled so that a maximum number of building blocks or units may be formed within a given period of time.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, .hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mold constructed in accordance with my inven- 18, 1925. serial no. 69,906.

tion, showing only some of the cells or chambers fitted with the formers or liners and cores. i

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 2 2 of Figure 1.v

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 3 3 of Figure 1'.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section on line 4-4 of Figure 1- Figure 5 is a. vertical longitudinal sec-- tion on line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a -perspective view of a portion of the mold frame showing some of the longitudinal `and some of the transverse elements separated from each other but arranged in proper relationship, and showing the construction thereof.

Fi re 7'is a vperspective view of oneof theldbuilding blocks or units produced by the mo Figure 8 is a horizontal longitudinal section thereof on line 8 8 of Figure 9.

Figure 9 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 9 9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of aformer or liner removed from the frame.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 9 of blocks of two laid courses, illustrating the bonding action.

`Figure 12 is a lview of a slightly modified form of building block or unit.

Figure 13 is a, view of a. holding device.

In carrying my invention into practice, I

provide a mold frame 1 of rectangular or oblong rectangular form and formed to provide any desired number of similarly shaped mold cells or chambers 2 arranged in horizontal and transverse rows. The frame 1 is of knock-down type andy comprises longitudinal frame strips or plates 3 and transverse frame strips or plates 4. CThe strips 3 and 4 are; provided at regularly spaced intervals with vertical transverse slits extending approximately one-half of their depth and openin through one or both of` their longitudina edges, to wit, through either their upper or lower edges, or both. As shown in the present instance, some of the strips 3 have slits 5 opening through their upper edges, and others slits 6 opening through their lower edges, and one or more of said strips 3 are provided with slits 5 and 6 opening through both edges, while some of the strips 4 have slits 7 opening through- `their upper edges and other of said strips 4 intact resilient corner have slits '7n opening through their lower edges. These slits adapt the strips 3 and 4 positioned as shown in Figure 6 so as to be readilyand conveniently-assembled and locked together to provide a frame of the construction and ,having the cells or chambers described, and alsov adapt the strips to be as readily and conveniently disassembled for taking down the mold. The ends of one or more of the strips 8 may be provided with handles 8 adapting the frame as formed to be readily conveyed or shifted from place to place as desired or required in use- It will be seen that, with a frame of this construction, when the strips 3 and 4 are disassembled they may be readily and conveniently laid upon one another and tied in stacks or piles of convenient size for ready and compact handling, storage or transportation. In practice, the strips may be made of sheet steel of suitable gage to give required rigidity, the structure, however, being light enough in weight to adapt a formed frame of a size having a. large number of cells or chambers to be handled or carried from place to place by two men. Each cell or 4chamber 2 is of proper dimensions for the formation of the block or building unit of a prescribed size therein.

A former or liner 9 is provided to fit within each cell or chamber 2, such former constituting a shaping and surfacing element for producing the desired block or unit. This former fits snugly against the walls of the cell 2 and is provided with side Walls,10 and end walls 11 conforming to the similar walls of the cell- The former or liner 9 is made of comparatively soft rubber, molded into shape, three of the corner portions of the body integrally uniting the adjacent sides, while at the fourth corner portion the body is split from top to bottom, as indicated at 12, thus adapting the former to be opened and closed on its ortions. The edges of the walls at the sp it corner portion 12 are beveled or otherwise suitably shaped so as to provide a closed lap joint when the former is fitted into a cell for use, in order to seal the split against leakage of the plastic material at that point. The construction of this former orlining of rubber is of great advantage, as I have discovered that a surface of rubber will give a tine, smooth and delicate finish to the surface of the article formed, and furthermore that such material is inherently repellent to absorption of moisture or of concrete, cement or other plastic material, in other words, that such materialswill not cling orstick thereto. When a block or other article formed in a mold cell is removed, the former or liner, which will adhere simply by suction. to the faces o'f the block or article which it enc1oses, may be removed in a rapid and cleanly manner by simply grasping one of the ends of the former at the split point 12 and stripping or pealing 'the former linearly oil the article. This entirely obviates the necessity of oiling or greasing the surfaces of the mold and the manifold objections incident thereto.

The mold constructed as shown is adapted for the production of regular building blocks or units 13 of the form disclosed. As shown, each of these blocks is provided with marginal flanges 14 bounding its front and rear sides and forming grooves or channels l5 in the top, bottom and end edges of the block. Each block is further provided with a series of three openings, a central opening 16 and a pair of larger openings 17 disposed between the same and the end edges ofthe block, said openings 16 and 17 extending between the top and bottom surfaces of the block and intersecting the said channels 15. In the use of such blocks in the formation of a wall or other structure, the blocks are arranged in courses, the blocks of the several courses bearing joint with each other, so that the central opening 16 of a block of one course will orerlie the channel 15 between the adjacent ends of the blocks of an underlying course, while the openings 17 of the first-named block will register with corresponding. openings in the adjacent ends of the underlying blocks. By this means a binder of cement or like material may be employed to filLthe channels between the surfaces of the blocks to bind them together and tolill the end channels and registering openings of adjacent blocks of courses so as to bind or interlock the blocks of the several courses together, enabling a wall construction of great strength and durability to be built. In the formation of walls with corner or other angles, blocks of suitable angular form for use at such points may be made. Also blocks 13 of the slightly modified form shown in Figure 10 may be used at proper points, each having a recess 18 to receive a floor joist or beam or other support.

The provision of a former or liner 9 for producing blocks or building units of the character described,.the former is molded with a thickened body portion 19 and top and bottom marginal flanges 20,: which flanges lie flush with the outer faces of the sides and ends of the former whereby recesses or rabbets 21 are formed at the top and bottom of the lining, the structure thus being such that the body portion of the former or lining will produce the grooved or channeled body of the block and the ianges and recessed or rabbeted 'portions thereof the flanged edges of the block. The formers or liners are coextensive in depth with the cells or chambers in which they fit and the cells or chambers are 'therefore normally open at top and bottom. The cells or chambers vmay be closed at the bottom in any suitable manner, either by the use'of aseparate pallet or bottom plate for each of them, or, as shown, in the drawings,

K shaped at the top in any suitable manner,

i' stick to the plastic material or, in case they lin the manner before described.

or separate top plates foreach of the cells or a common top plate for all of them may be used. For the purpose of forming the openings 16 and 17 inthe blocks the sides of veach moldfchamber and the sides of each former or liner are provided respectively with registering core receiving openings 23 and 24. The'c'ores 25 employed are threaded transversely of each transverse row `of mold chambers through these openings, and these cores may be made of rubber tubing or hose pipe. I havefound in practice that when the cores are formed of rubber or present a rubber or rubberized surface they will not happen to slightly adhere, will easily pull loose and, as a result of their resiliency, will detach themselves without injury to then? or to the walls of the cores in the blocks.

In the operation of employing a mold of the construction described, the mold frame is' set up, the liners or formers fitted in the cells or chambers thereof, and the cores then threaded through, after which the plastic concrete, cement or other plastic material is filled into the'mold chambers and allowed to remain untilosufliciently set or hardened. The formed blocks` or units may then be lconveniently removedv from the mold chambers, after withdrawal of the cores, with the forme-rs or liners and the formers or liners may then be stripped from the blocks The mold elements are then ready for use again without preparatory cleansing, oiling, greasing yor other treatment, except such slight cleansing as may be needed to free the exposed surfaces ofthe frame elements from particles of the plastic material which may adhere thereto. c

In threading cores 25 through the openings in the formers and walls of the cells it is desirable to provide some means to prevent inward displacement of the sides of the flexible formers while the cores are being threaded, particularly when the cores fit the openings snugly. To this end, I provide a holdin device (see Figure'13) composed of a han le bar 26 carrying blades or plates 27, each having slots 27 therein corresponding in number and arrangement with the core openings in the cell walls'. The bar 26 is shown carrying two such blades or plates 27 to fit within a single'cell, but in practice the bar may be :provided with pairs of plates equal in number to a transverse row of cells, one pair of plates for each cell, so as to adapt the device to be applied to hold all perforated walls of the liners of a transverse row of cells from deiection while the cores are being inserted. The slots 27 open at their lower ends through the lower edges of the plates, so that the plates may be slidably inserted from above to bear upon the inner faces of the perforated liner walls, holding said walls from inward movement during the insertion of the cores, after which the holding device may be removed. The plates `27 may be equal in depth with the cells, so that the bar 26, when the plates are fully inserted, will contact with the upper edges of the strips 3, thus ensuring accurate registration of the Slots 27 with the openings.

F romthe foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of use and advantages of my improved mold will be readily understood and appreciated without a further and extended description, and it will be seen that a structure is pro-vided whereby building blocks or units of a superior type lVhile the structure disclosed is preferred,

it will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, proportions and details of construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a mold, a mold chamber of rectangular formation, and a removable lining therefor comprising a continuous strip of soft rubber having wall portions conforming to the wall portions of the mold chamber, said strip being split 'from top to bottom at a point in its length, whereby said lining may by its flexibility be stripped from the surface of a formed article.

2. In a mold, aV mold chamber, and a forming surface of soft rubber disposed in the mold chamber and providing a liner around the walls thereof, said liner being removable from the mold chamber and divisible so as torender it capable of being linearly stripped from the formed article.

3. In a mold, a mold chamber, and a removable soft rubber lining for the mold chamber extending around the walls of said chamber so as to envelop the article to be formed therein, said lining being split whereby upon its removal with the formed article from the mold chamber it may be of the mold chamber and removable therefrom, said lining having a body portion of major thickness and having its upper and lower edges rabbeted.

5. In a mold, a mold chamber, and a soft rubber lining for the mold chamber split at one side, said lining having a body portion of major thickness and having its upper and lower edges rabbeted.

6. In a mold, a mold chamber, and a removable soft rubber lining for the mold chamber having sides conformin to lthe walls of the mold chamber and hinged by the resiliency of the material to each other, said lining beingsplit at a point to adapt it to be linearly pealed or stripped from the formed article.

7. In a mold, a mold chamber, and a removable lining for the mold chamber comprising a continuous molded strip of soft rubber split at a point to permit it by its exibility to be linearly stripped from the formed article.

, 8. In a. mold, a mold chamber, and a removable lining for the mold chamber comprising a continuous molded strip of soft rubber-split at a point to permit it by its flexibility to be linearly-stripped from the formed article, saidl lining having a body portion of maximum thickness and flanges forming rabbets at its uper edges, at least two of the sides of said lining being provided with registering core receiving open-V ings.

9. A mold having a molded forming surface comprising a body of soft rubber and split at one point to adapt it to be opened up and stripped linearly from a forward article.

10. A mold having a molded forming surface comprising a body of soft rubber and split at one point to adapt it to be opened up apertured holding plates engageable with said apertured Walls of the forming surface to prevent their relative displacement in a core threading action.

13. In a mold, the combination of a mold frame provided with mold cells orchambers having core receiving openings in opposed walls thereof, removable formers or liners of rubber fitted in said cells or chambers and provided with similar openings registering With the openings first-named, and cores of rubber adapted to be threaded through said openings.

14. In a mold, a mold frame comprising interfittedand detachably connected longil tudinal and transverse bars forming cells or chambers, and a removable lining for each of said chambers formed of rubber.

15. In a mold, a mold frame comprising Ylongitudinal v`and transverse bars provided with interengaging slits whereby theyl are detachably connected, said bars forming cells or chambers between adjacent portions thereof, and zu removable liner of rubber in each cell or chamber.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

KURT BADER. 

